The Siege
by Dante Morose
Summary: Noct locked his bedroom door and watched the hexagonal wall seal him inside. If the gods wanted their savior, they would have to come get him. And with that, Noct's siege began. (AKA Noct locks himself in his bedroom, and everyone tries various ways to get him to come out.)
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** I do not own FFXV.

* * *

Noct shambled out of the crystal room, furious but not afraid. His father knew. _Luna_ knew. The Starscourge that cursed their planet, the ancient relic of a man who probably existed during the dragon era – he was destined to die taking them down, and all because the gods wouldn't get their own hands dirty.

His feet plowed down the familiar path to his room. Noct wasn't dealing with any meetings or social functions tonight. He needed to think. No. Thinking wasn't going to get him anywhere. He needed to _do_ something.

Fingers twitched at his side, itching to reach into his Crystal Sphere and pull out a sword. He was more like Gladio than Ignis when it came to stress – hit something until his outsides felt like his insides. For a moment he considered doing just that, until shards of the vision trickled back through. A grey sky funneled by smoke from a burning city. A flash of blue light. An endless pain until suddenly…nothing.

Noct couldn't beat away this anger. He wasn't even going to try. This called for a different level of temper tantrum.

In the sky above, fractals of dying light glittered like stardust. Over the crystal the sunset glowed as its light caught a glancing angle in the glassy surface. The city was obstructed by the Wall. It was encased in its everlasting protection.

Noct knew the magic – Protect – but never used it. Often Glaives used it in battle, sometimes on the field, showing off their borrowed abilities. Noct refused to do anything remotely resembling his future. He didn't want to be the one sitting on a throne with the life slowly draining from him. But it wouldn't matter now. He was destined to die.

Without thinking, Noct turned the lock on his bedroom. Standing back, he raised his hand and called to the magic within him. It swept through the crystal and burned with a humming warmth in his fingertips. The magic built slowly; he wasn't used to this intricate of a spell. Shards of Protect magic came together, blue light forming solid plates which filled in the spaces he commanded. He had to account for every single hexagon as they formed over the door, across the ceiling, down around the other three walls, and over the balcony.

When the last plate solidified on the floor under his feet, Noct thought he'd try moving.

Bad idea.

The pull from the magic had him stumbling back as he lost balance. The bed cushioned his fall, and he lay where he landed. Noct's fist curled into the sheets.

How did his father do this with an entire city…?

… … … …

When Noct woke the next morning, he was surprised to see the wall still erected around his room. He wasn't known for making the most rational decisions, but as he examined it, a burst of self-satisfaction brought a half-cocked smile to his face.

And then he remembered why it was there.

Scowling, Noct drew the covers back over his head. He hadn't meant to receive the vision. For all he knew, it was an accident on Bahamut's part as well. But with the pull of the magic guiding him through the castle…it had seemed so natural to place his hand on the crystal.

There was a rattling at the door. "Noct, please. Unlock the door. It's time to get up."

Noct peeped out from under his covers, scowling. He was tempted to say something. Maybe, "Go away," or literally anything else childish that still communicated exactly how he felt.

"You have a meeting in an hour; there's no time for sleeping in," Ignis shook the door again. The wall was still there, still holding, and it was so strange…

Warping through the air felt like a burst of pain and magic as his atoms slipped from physical to magical properties and shot through the air. It was exhilarating and painful all at once. Phasing was like that but to a lesser degree. He felt phantom pain as swords bit through the particles of magic he left behind.

The Wall was perhaps more like phasing in this respect. Ignis knocked and rattled at the door handles, fighting to come inside. Noct could feel the hands pressing against his magic, but it was detached. Like a numb limb.

"Highness?"

There it was. The only time Ignis used honorifics was in mocking or sincere concern.

A prickling of guilt tickled his spine. He should take the wall down and let Ignis in so they could get on with the day.

But for what…? Nothing could be the same now that he knew.

Did Ignis know? The heat of the question burned his eyes, and he pillowed his face in the mattress beneath him. Had everyone been preparing him to die, secretly hoping and waiting for that day? He knew he was wrong. It wasn't possible to fake so much affection and care. Ignis had practically raised him after the attack that took his mom…

But it didn't change his fate.

Determination settled in his belly like a fistful of flame. If the gods wanted their savior, they would have to come get him.

And so the siege for the Chosen One's life began.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** I still don't own FFXV.

* * *

Noct was grateful for bad habits. It was ten in the morning, and so far he'd had a breakfast of chips, a half eaten ham sandwich, and a soda – all safely stored in his Armiger for easy access.

(And to think Ignis complained about his lack of foresight.)

Outside footsteps paced, voices echoed. More than once Gladio's voice barked at the Glaives, asking if they'd seen Noct come in last night. Again and again the answer was the same. Yes, he had, just after seven. No, he hadn't left since then. No, there were no intruders or any alerts.

It was almost funny no one had realized it was magic sealing the door shut. Ignis had already bent the key and Gladio dislocated his shoulder trying to get in. Currently they were discussing how to send Glaives to investigate an entrance from the balcony outside. It was only a matter of time.

The hardest thing was not saying anything. Noct knew if he did, he'd give in. No matter how bullheaded he was, Ignis possessed the inexplicable talent for making Noct second guess himself. Noct didn't have time for doubts. Actually he didn't have time for anything. He only existed to die, after all.

The bitterness of that thought tainted his soda as he downed the last bit.

And that was just Ignis. Gladio had his ways of rousing a reaction as well. Gladio had a hard attitude but a good heart, and he could be just as persuasive as Ignis when he needed to get his point across.

Noct crushed the can between his palms.

And then there was his dad.

Noct didn't know what he'd do if they finally reported his situation to the king. There was never any competition when it came to a showdown of will between himself and his dad. Regis was always too understanding, too loving, too anything, and Noct's stubbornness crumbled in the warmth of his embrace.

He'd better be ready, then, because he wasn't planning on leaving his room until…well, he wasn't sure, but it would be long enough that his father would have to find out.

Noct chucked his soda can at the garbage bin across the room, and it clattered as it fell in. Outside, the hall went silent.

" _Did you hear that?_ "

" _Something…inside…_ "

Ignis's voice came muffled through the door. "Noctis, are you in there?"

Noct flinched. The worry in Iggy's tone was unmasked by the hope that carried his words. Shrinking back, Noct slinked down where he sat as though by making himself smaller, they would all just forget about it.

Gladio suddenly hit the door, startling him. "Noct, I know you're in there. Whatever's going on–"

Ignis sharply reprimanded Gladio, and though it was a whisper, Noct's magic bristled, tingling with metaphysical senses and eavesdropping on the conversation for him.

" _Gladio, if that's Noct inside, then whatever has him locked away isn't going to be so easy to handle."_

Gladio cut back, " _It might not just be him. What if there's someone else in there keeping him hostage, keeping him quiet, while trying to get out?_ "

The hole in Noct's stomach grew. Guilt was a cold feeling, mixed with nausea and a bunch of other sensations Noct couldn't stand. So he found himself speaking before he could stop himself.

"I'm fine, so just go away."

"Noct?" Ignis pressed against the door. Against the wall.

Biting his tongue, Noct wandered into the bathroom and shut the door. At least in here if he said something they wouldn't hear it. This was going to be harder than he thought.

… … … …

Something hit his head.

Noct flinched, eyes peering through the black ballerina spots that danced in his vision. His ears rang while his hands groped for some sort of stability. Where was he again? His fingertips brushed against something cold. Porcelain. Oh right, he'd fallen asleep in the bathtub trying to wait out Iggy's and Gladio's attempts to coax him out.

But who had hit him?

 _WHAM!_

Noct doubled over clutching his head. "Ah-h!"

Spider cracks formed in his skull, and his heart pulsed rapidly in his brain. The skin of his arms began to tear, atoms ripping apart as though wedged to the side to let something else in.

Gasping, Noct attempted to right himself. His bare feet slipped in the tub's base as he crawled over the edge and rolled onto the floor. He had to get up. He had to defend himself. He needed to _heal_ himself.

A web of heat twined up his arms as he drew from the crystal. His magic was already stretched around him in the form of the wall. Forcing more through his already battered body was hurting him more than helping. The power pulled at his strength till he felt his strength give way. He felt weak, but the cracks in his head were healing. The wounds felt disconnected.

Noct cautiously reached a hand up to check for blood.

Nothing.

The black spots in his vision ebbed away to leave him in the dim light of the bathroom. It was empty other than himself. Slowly the heat that had been encompassing his arm faded.

Noct stumbled into the door frame, leaning heavily as he blinked heavily at his empty bedroom. It was then he realized what had happened.

He was fine.

It was his magic that had been under attack.

Every hexagon had turned black and hard in response to his surge of healing magic. The walls were entirely covered in the shiny scales. They glittered by the balcony where the afternoon sun shafted dark shadows through them. It was beautiful, but suffocating.

Something powerful had attempted to break through his wall, and he'd managed to withhold it.

"Noctis."

The voice was muffled through the door, but for a second, Noct's heart stopped.

"Noctis, what is going on in there? You are beginning to worry me."

"Dad?"

The hair on the back of Noct's neck tingled as Regis breathed a sigh of relief against the wall. "Son, please stop this foolishness and come out."

Noct shambled over to the door and pressed a hand against the panel that encompassed the handle. His heart throbbed in longing. He wanted to exit his self-made cage. There was nothing he hated worse than disappointing his father or causing him pain.

His hand dropped.

It wasn't a petty grievance that kept Noct in here. As much as it hurt, Noct wasn't choosing to remain locked away because he resented his father's silence. This wasn't a standoff from an angry teenager.

This was a standoff against the gods.

Sliding down the wall, Noct rested his head against his glass prison and wondered how long it would take.

"Please, I won't be angry."

"Don't try to force me out again," Noct cringed at the exhaustion lacing his voice. He had been trying for an authoritative tone. "I can't leave. I'm sorry."

"Why not?" Such simple words.

"Because." A simple answer.

"You know you can talk to me. Did something happen?" Regis hesitated, "…Another nightmare?"

Noct actually laughed, a dying sound that faded as suddenly as it came. "Something like that."

"Tell me about it?"

Noct frowned as a dark feeling blanketed him. "No."

"Noctis?"

Darkly, Noct advised, "If you really want to know, go ask your precious crystal."

There was a long period of silence. By the time Regis finally gathered himself enough to speak again, Noct's eyes were closed from magical fatigue.

"You know."

Noct opened his eyes, surprised to hear so much pain in those words.

"…Yeah. I know."

"And you don't intend to go through with it."

It didn't sound like a question, but Noct realized he hadn't thought about it. Certainly willingness to die for the world wasn't the reason he was barring himself in his room, but he hadn't really considered how far he would go. A standoff with the gods. It was obvious he wouldn't win. He was mortal. He would die of starvation before the gods relented. Who did he think he was kidding? But at the very least, he wasn't ready to face that kind of a fate. In the end, Noct repeated the only thing he knew for sure.

"I'm not coming out of here."

"You cannot change the gods' minds," Regis warned.

Noct's voice rose. "I'm not leaving."

"I have tried and failed. There is no way this will end the way you want."

"I'm staying here until they come to me."

Regis no longer sounded sad. A fire built in his voice. "Noctis, the gods will not seek you out."

"Then I'll die here in this room," Noct shouted, "and the gods will fail."

"…The gods won't allow you to make it that far; you are not just our salvation, but theirs as well."

"I'm not going anywhere, Dad. I'm not going to let the gods take the only life I have and do what they want with it! I don't have to follow a fate or a destiny or a prophecy, and I'm not going anywhere until the gods understand that these things can be changed."

He didn't realize how strongly he felt until he was panting from the force of his own anger. His father took a little more time in answering, and when he did, his voice was as quiet steel, a white fury mingled with sadness, frustration, and resignation.

"Then you will die and the world with you."

His magic bristled as the king swiftly stood and exited. It whispered back Regis's orders for a guard to be posted at each end of the hall, and it tingled as the elevator opened and closed the king off from his son.

In his room, Noct curled up against the cold magic keeping him safe and fell asleep feeling, for the first time in his life, entirely alone.

* * *

-Dante


	3. Chapter 3

I very much wanted to tack the next chapter onto this, but this has gone way too long without an update and I likely won't have the next part done for another few days at the very least and a few weeks at the most. In short, have a filler-esque chapter update.

Enjoy.

* * *

Noct didn't give Ignis nearly enough credit.

It had been three days since the start of his siege. He was low on snacks, and he'd already raided his Armiger, under the bed, in the closet, and the emergency stash of Ebony (for Ignis when Noct was particularly grumpy in the morning).

Against the King's orders that Noct be left alone, Ignis refused to leave the door. He was back and forth for bathroom breaks, but he only ever ate when Gladio brought him something, and only slept when he was sure Noct wasn't on the verge of responding. Ignis had tried nearly every tactic in the book (if there was an actual manual for how to be a good friend and advisor); and under his mounting annoyance with Ignis's constant attempts to rouse a response, Noct was secretly overwhelmed by the love and concern Ignis was showing.

The only thing Ignis hadn't yet tried was the king's approach: silence and distance. Frost him out. Make him lonely. Isolate him and cut off any help in order to force him out. If Ignis left it really _would_ feel like an actual self-siege.

But Ignis was too loyal for that, and far too worried. Noct guessed the king hadn't told anyone else his reasons for staying inside the protective bubble. To be honest, he was grateful. It was hard enough knowing. Harder still to tell Ignis and Gladio. Prompto too.

Man, he missed Prompto right now. The boredom was killing him.

Noct lay on his bed with one elbow propping him upright. Casting a glance at his diminished food stock, a grin formed on his face. They thought they could win, but for the first time since he closed his door, he had an actual plan.

The only problem was Ignis.

Speed dialing Prompto, he leaned back on his rumpled blankets.

He'd known Prompto since grade school, but only recently did they begin hanging out. Noct hadn't realized how much he needed a friend in his life until Prompto got the courage to come forward. It wasn't that Ignis and Gladio weren't enough; they were both close friends, and though he would never say it aloud, he really cared about them. But they also represented a part of his life he sometimes needed to forget. Prompto was a no-strings-attached kind of guy and let him do just that.

Still, Noct wondered how confident Prompto would be when he made his request. He knew Prompto wouldn't say no. It was in his nature to be caring; hence the reason he was so dependable. It was wrong to exploit that, but Noct really didn't have any other options if he couldn't leave.

The line clicked as Prompto picked up, and instantly Noct was assaulted with a rush of panic. _"Noct! Finally! Are you alright? Is everything okay? I thought it was just some royal stuff since you weren't in school, but you weren't answering your phone, and I've been calling the others, and Gladio finally picked up and said you were stuck in your room or something, and I–"_

"Prompto, stop."

Across the line Prompto gasped, sucking in air with a slight tremolo.

"I'm fine."

There was a pause and a release of breath as Prompto nodded into the phone with relief. The guilt returned. Noct _really_ hadn't accounted for how much his defiance would worry everyone. It was both touching and slightly annoying.

"I'm fine, really. It's just–" he sucked in a breath and started over, "Look, it's complicated, but the point is, I need you to do something for me."

" _Okay…?"_

"Okay," Noct said, "First we need a distraction…"

… … … …

Noct paced the bedroom floor, making sure to stay away from the door in case Ignis picked up on his whispers.

" _I'm in the garden,"_ Prompto informed over the line. _"Now what?"_

"There's a window straight ahead. Are there any guards posted nearby?"

"… _Doesn't look like it. I see a few near this other smaller door–"_

"Servant's entrance," Noct supplied.

" _Yeah that, but they aren't patrolling too far into the garden."_

Good. Things were just like he remembered. For a minute, the line was muffled by the shifting of fabric as Prompto crept to window Noct had mentioned.

Inside his room twelve floors up, Noct resisted the urge to lean out over the balcony and try to spot his friend. He was a queer mixture of nervousness and confidence as he glanced toward his bedroom door. If Prompto had followed his directions, he would be hauling enough food in his backpack to last Noct another week. It all depended on Noct's memory of the guard patrol and Prompto's own stealth. It shouldn't be too hard. The worst part wouldn't even be getting Ignis away from his spot outside the room. The worst would be getting Prompto on the other side of the wall sealing his room.

Noct was no stranger to magic, but he thought there was some sort of trick to letting people in and out of the boarder to Insomnia – more than a boarder watch at least. It was a well known fact that the Niffs couldn't get in and neither could the deamons, but then how did merchants, travelers, and vacationers manage to get back into the city once they had gone out?

A hole. His dad must make holes in the wall – a minor stretching or tearing of magic to allow something through. It made sense even if Noct didn't know how to do it, but he was going to have to learn quickly if he didn't want to starve.

" _At the window,"_ Prompto reported.

Noct nodded to himself, "Alright."

" _So far so good. And hey, it's even open!"_ Musing, he added, _"You know, you could be your own assassin."_

"Huh?"

" _You've got the layout down of where to go to get in and out without being spotted."_

Noct smiled and admitted, "When I was younger, I'd make Ignis sneak out of the palace with me. When we came back he'd take the blame for us being dirty or late or whatever it was they were upset about."

" _Really? Wow, Iggy's pretty cool."_

Noct glanced at the door and frowned a little. "Yeah, he really is."

" _Kay, I'm in. Whoa, this is a huge indoor garden."_

"Pay attention, there is going to be more security from here on."

" _Don't worry. If I can sneak snaps of Ignis when he's smiling, I can sneak anywhere."_

"I'm not sure that's how it works," Noct muttered, but he was far to amused with the pleased hum under Prompto's breath as he followed Noct's instructions through the garden, down the corridor, and into the main body of the palace.

It was when Prompto was dashing for the elevator that their first serious mishap occurred. Noct listened from his end as Prompto gasped and the speaker jumped with a loud crack before going silent.

"Prompto?"

"…"

"Prompto?" Noct leaned his head into the phone, pressing his ear hard against the speaker so hard it hurt. Breath caught in concentration, he strained to hear any signs of life.

A rustle and then, " _Noct?"_

A breath of relief whooshed from his lungs, and he demanded, "What happened?"

" _Noct? Are you still there?"_ Prompto's voice was low.

"Yeah, what happened?"

" _Okay. So I may have dropped my phone, and it's glitching kinda funny,"_ his voice slipped into minor panic as he tightly whispered, _"and I think someone heard me!"_

"Just stay where you are and be quiet."

" _Someone's coming. I've got to hide."_

"Then make it quick."

There was a long pause, and Noct had to fight the urge to speak, to make sure Prompto was still on the line and hadn't passed out from fear. He had no doubt Prompto was brave, but he could get flustered more easily than anyone he knew.

At last he heard Prompto exhale shakily into the speaker. _"I think they're gone, but I'm in a different room now."_

Noct's stomach grumbled. Prompto needed to hurry; he was starving. "If the elevator is still in sight then you're still on track."

" _There's no elevator, Noct. There isn't an elevator!"_

"Prompto, calm down," Noct groaned and tried to think. Where could Prompto have ended up? There were only so many hallways on the secretarial floor to duck into. Mostly there were offices. And people. Lots of people. "What _is_ there?"

" _Uh…"_ Noct waited while Prompto looked around. _"I'm getting a trippy vibe from this place."_

"A…what?"

" _Everything looks the same!"_

"Well, what does that look like?"

" _I don't see any elevators anywhere. …Wait, no. I've got an idea."_

Prompto cleared his throat, and Noct thought he heard a rustle of paper as he pushed open the door to his hiding place.

Instantly, Noct was thrown into confusion as Prompto began an annoyed prattle on his end, not allowing for one breath.

" _Are you sure, dad? I don't want to have to come down here again. Are you sure you couldn't just have them fax it up?"_ There was a rustle of paper, brandished in the air as Prompto prattled on. Noct smiled to himself, understanding. A cover. He was acting as the son of some official collecting papers for a meeting. Or at least that was Noct's best guess. He wouldn't put it past Prompto to be rambling on without any sort of plan at all.

As Prompto released his true skill, nonsensical rambling, Noct listened with amusement. He'd underestimated his friend's dedication. It felt like hours before Prompto finally whispered, _"Okay. I'm here."_

"Alright. Wait for my say," Noct told him, and hung up, quickly dialing another number. When the line picked up, he ordered, "Show time."

… … … …

Iris peeped around the corner. Ahead lay the Prince's hallway. A Glaive stood two feet ahead, facing into the hallway while down at the other end another seemed to spot her instantly. She pulled back around the corner and whispered into her phone.

"So when are you going to tell me what this is all about?"

"… _Later. Prompto's waiting on you right now."_

She sighed and caved immediately, but not without a teasing jab, "I guess I'll be expecting that call later on then."

There was a long silence on the other end, and she imagined him blushing. A light smile touched her lips at the image.

" _I've got to call Prompto back to let him know you're ready. Thanks again, Iris."_ The dial tone didn't give her a chance to respond.

Huffing a little, Iris tucked the phone back into her pocket and poked her nose around the corner again.

She had been surprised to get the call from Noct. He _never_ called her. _Ever_. Granted they were years apart, but it made her heart do flipping jumping jacks when his voice came over the speaker asking for her help.

Regardless of her will to aid the Prince of Lucis, it was also a welcome distraction from things at home.

Gladio had been doing that thing when he's worried and angry but won't admit it. The long hours working out in the gym, the training rooms, and sometimes in the kitchen. The begruntled expression he wore like someone's BO offended him. He was spending long hours at the castle, doing what, Iris didn't know, but Noct's phone call helped ease her concern somewhat. Even if she didn't know what was going on, now she had something to distract her.

Speaking of…Iris tensed. It felt like someone was watching her. A glance over her shoulder confirmed nothing but paranoia, but still the feeling lingered. Iris did a double take, sensing movement from the shadows, but when nothing yielded to her searching gaze, she gave up and pinned the _off_ feeling to that slight sense of guilt that always accompanied doing something naughty.

Convincing herself that was all it was, Iris inhaled deeply and strolled into the hallway with the confidence of a fifteen year old menace.

* * *

-Dante


End file.
